For those of you still with me, I thank you. Yes, Bella is going through a lot of drama and of course there would be relationship drama of some kind. That's only reality, even in a fanfic world. She barely knows the guy and this will prove that. However, she gets her HEA. This is simply a hurdle.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!"

This is rated T for language and minor adult content.

I don't own anything Twilight. SM owns it all, I'm just messing around! I hope you enjoy it.

After the last vampire left my room, I slammed the bedroom door shut and twisted the lock.

Abi is pregnant and it might be mine.

That's insane. What? I didn't think he was a virgin before I met him and it's not like we've had the time to talk too in depth about our lives before meeting. However, this was a level of stress I just didn't need right now.

After dropping that bomb on me I kind of zoned out. My mind whirring with possibilities as I curled under my bed, whimpering. Did he cheat on me?

No! Vixen, I swear it. The moment Grams told me you were on your way to Little...

Shut the hell up!

I didn't care about the semantics. I only cared if he was going to be a father to another pack member's kits and that he lied to me and avoided me. Okay, so I'm glad he didn't cheat on me. That makes everything a lot easier to deal with but we were supposed to be mates! We marked each other. Why would the world right so many wrongs in my life only to throw this curveball?

Weird demons settle in my terrritory...I made friends with them.

Sam, my best friend, gets jealous and puts a short strain on our relationship...We mend it fairly easily.

One demon tries to claim me as his mate...His family and Troy protect me and I make said demon hear me out.

Charlie is in grave danger and I am the one to save his life...All because a red eyed demon wasn't expecting a shifter fox under a bed.

Now this. My mate. This beautiful man that I fell in love with so quickly, tells my new friend to lie to me and then drops this hell of a bomb on my head from almost two thousand miles apart because he is too big of a fucking pansy to tell me to my face.

Vixen, please.

Shit. I forgot about him being in my head.

Don't call me that.

I slammed the mental door on my mind shield closed with a resounding bang.

I couldn't handle dealing with him right now. Charlie was on his way home from work and I wanted to make him dinner and spend time with him before I tried sorting out what I would do about my current relationship drama. I slunk out from under my bed and shifted into my human skin. Liv and Edward were the only ones in my room left.

"Do you mind getting out so I could dress?" I asked, annoyed.

You would think that seeing me shift into nakedness would have driven them out but no. They both just watched me. Sheepishly, they left my room. After locking the door, I slipped on a pair of jeans and a tee under a hoodie. I paced angrily while I brushed my hair. Rationally, I knew that I shouldn't be too angry with Troy. He says he didn't cheat on me and I didn't know all of the circumstances. Did he use a condom? Did it break? I wouldn't know any of the answers to the questions in my head until I spoke to him face to face. Anger has no rationality, though, so I let that flow through me. I didn't feel like being rational.

I left my bedroom, stomping around like the three year old I knew I was acting like and started banging pots and pans around to make dinner. Jasper watched me from the kitchen table with a pained expression and I knew he was trying to reign in my anger. I threw him a dirty look. If the Empath didn't like it then he knew where the door was. Alice set her traitorous hand on her mate's arm and smiled at me sympathetically.

I growled as I started chopping chicken breast for Charlie's dinner.

"We're just going to go to our house here in Forks. Bella, please come by once you're done here. Our flight is tomorrow morning." Carlisle told me softly.

I hummed quietly as I gave him my back.

"Bella."

"Yes, Edward?" I said shortly.

"I know you're angry but -" I whirled around, pointing my chef's knife at his face, interrupting him.

"No. I don't care what tid bit you caught from his mind or mine. I can't think about that right now. Please." I said angrily with tears welling in my eyes. "I just want to spend the evening with my dad before I have to go deal with this shit."

Edward sighed and dipped his head once. "I'm sorry."

I sagged against the counter in defeat. Tears rolling down my face. "No, it's not your fault. I know I'm acting like a child. I just wish I could catch a break." I whispered.

Jasper stood from the table and came to stand in front of me. His cool fingers gently swiped the tears from my cheeks as he tilted my head up to face him.

"You'll be okay, one way or another. We will always be here for you. Don't push us away, okay darlin'?" He murmured.

I nodded silently.

The house cleared quickly and I returned to my work, feeling a little better knowing that I had, at the very least, my friends. As I chopped and diced and seasoned the chicken and vegetables for my dad and me, I pondered. The Omaha tribe did not ban me from the reservation. They weren't holding Grams hostage. Perhaps the racism lay only with the Chief. Was he Troy's father or was that just something Alice said to keep me from continuing to contact Troy? Why did he avoid me instead of just being honest if he didn't cheat on me?

I had to forcefully shove the thoughts from my head. It was doing nothing but making me angrier. I wanted to be proud of myself. I single handedly...or paws...edly?...Rid the world of a psycho vampire that had been hell bent on killing my father. I saved my father!

I skipped a little happy dance in front of the counter as I loaded a baking dishes with the food I had prepared. I would be happy for myself and happy to spend time with my dad. The front door opened and my dad walked in with Sam and Jacob in tow.

"Bells! What smells so good?" My dad called from the foyer. I heard him unclipping and setting down his gun belt and hanging up his coat. I heard him toe off his boots and pad down the short hall to the kitchen entry way.

"Chicken and veggies over rice. How was your day?" I asked as I closed the oven. I set the timer and faced my father.

"Congratulations are in order? I'm free?" He asked happily.

I walked the few steps to my dad and hugged him tight around his ribs. "Easy there, Bells. You're strong." His voice was strained and I eased up.

"Sorry, Dad. Yeah, you're safe. I dismantled him and the Cullens torched him. No more twenty four seven babysitters for you anymore." I smiled.

"Hope you made a lot. We're starved." Jacob said, rubbing his belly.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the cupboards. Good thing I made two pans. I grabbed two more plates and silverware and set the table for the four of us.

Sam laid a heavy hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him with my eyebrow raised.

"You okay? You have something on your mind." He asked me. Sam knew me very well. Even when my own father couldn't see through my moods, my best friend could. I set the plates on the table and turned to face him.

"It's a long story but I'll be okay." As much as I wanted to talk to someone about this, I wouldn't talk to Sam after his display out in Iowa. His hand squeezed my shoulder before he backed up a step. I smiled at him. He was a good friend and I knew he would be the best person to talk to...He knew me better than anyone else. Something held me back though.

Jacob bumped my arm with his elbow. "You should be proud of yourself!"

Sam nodded. "Yes, you should."

My dad stood grinning like a loon from the entryway. We must look a sight to him. Two enormous russet Natives on either side of my petite pale form. I grinned at them all.

"I'm damn proud of myself."

The wolves left shortly after eating with hugs goodbye. I sat next to my dad on the old plaid couch and laid my head against him. His arm came around my shoulders and he kissed the crown of my head.

"I miss you, kiddo." He murmured.

"I miss you too, Dad. Sometimes I wonder if this move was worth it." I had already told him how the Chief of Omaha had greeted me...or rather, didn't. He knows of Troy being my mate but I was hesitant to let him know of our issues.

"You could always move back home. I wouldn't mind you working for me." He said quietly. I knew that was what he wanted and it was something to think about. The last couple of weeks had been crazy busy and stressful but that wasn't a reason to quit. I needed to find my own place in the world.

Then again, with vampires running around, maybe it would be a good idea to come back. I would have all my friends. Troy has enough to deal with right now what with potentially being a father and all. Ugh...I pushed the thoughts away once more. I had to go home. Little Sioux was my town now. It felt like it was where I belonged.

I rolled my head to the back of the couch and side eyed my father. His dark brown hair was growing gray around his ears giving him a distinguished look. His skin was tanned for as often as he was outside either for work or fishing. His kind brown eyes found mine and we smiled.

"I know. You've found your place. I just miss you, Bells." He told me, thankfully letting me off the hook of trying to stutter an apology.

"I have and I miss you too. You could always move out to Loess, you know." I hinted.

"Nah, I like it here and the old man would have a hissy fit if I left him with no fishing buddy."

I laughed picturing Billy having a hissy fit. That would be a sight to see. My dad laughed with me.

"Well, you'll have to visit. Bring Billy. It will be fun." I told him.

Charlie and I sat on the couch for a couple more hours before he needed to get to bed.

Walking into my stone cottage the next evening, I threw my luggage on the floor and went to take a shower. I was almost ready to let the anger consume me. Troy had a lot to answer for but I'm not a child. I won't allow this to take my mate from me. If he ends up being the father of Abi's baby then I will deal with it. Kids aren't so bad, I guess. I never wanted any for myself but I wouldn't shun the man for having a life before me.

I am severely angry about him lying and evading. Alice had been very upset that I refused to talk to her. I wasn't exactly rude because I won't disrespect Jasper that way, but I am so angry with her going along with Troy's lies. Granted, he never said whether she knew the truth or not but she's a seer. Wouldn't she know if he was lying or not? I wasn't exactly sure what to think at the moment.

I got out of the shower and dressed for bed. Tomorrow was my last day before I started at the station. Chief Walker had overheard through Emmett that we had an emergency with my father and wanted to give us extra days to recuperate but I was adamant. I needed the distraction.

I sat in my bed in only a baggy tee shirt and plain blue undies, grabbing my cell phone and opening the text application. My thumb hovered over his name while I debated with myself, staring at the phone. A single tear fell down my cheek but I didn't bother wiping it away.

'We need to talk tomorrow. If you don't show, I'll know where I stand.'

I pressed send immediately. If he didn't make the time to see me now after six days and he wasn't being held against his will obviously, then I was going to let it go. I knew with the bond of mates we needed to be around each other but we didn't need to actually be together.

I would be fine.

Right?

Yes. Yes, I would be fine.

Maybe.

You really didn't expect it to be resolved yet, did you? Sorry it's been a few days. Apparently I have a life outside of writing...Who knew? Certainly not me ;) For reals...